Tagalog Slangs That You Need to Know

10 Tagalog slangs that you need to know.Sometimes when hanging out with Filipino friends, it’s inevitable to feel out of place when you’re the only one in the group who doesn’t get references. Learning the Tagalog language is difficult as it is, but familiarizing yourself with its slangs is a whole another challenge. But, fret not! This article is your friendly guide to making yourself sound like a native Tagalog speaker. It’s time to surprise your friends with these Tagalog slangs!

Tagalog slangs

Hay nako!

Hay nako is a phrase used to express annoyance or disappointment. There is no direct English translation, but this phrase is closest to a sigh. It originates from the phrase nanay (mother) ko (my). And hay is like an “oh” expression. So it’s literally oh my mother!

Lagot!

This expression is used when you know you or someone is in trouble. A rough translation in English would be: “You’re a dead meat!”. You can use this word when you did something wrong. If you’re directing it to another person, you can say, “lagot ka (you)!”

Diba?

This is a word that you probably hear all the time if you stay for a long time in the Philippines. It’s usually at the end of a sentence that seeks affirmation. Diba translates to “right?” in English. Its root words are hindiba which means “is it not?”.

Ganon?

When someone is telling you a story, you can say “ganon” to confirm what happened. It translates to “is that so?” in English. You can also say “ganon pala” which means “Oh I see. That’s what happened.”

Example: *After your friend tells you a story* Ganon? I never knew that this was what truly happened!

Bahala na

This phrase is used when giving up responsibility for doing something. In English, it’s actually the expression: “Screw it!”. Filipinos love to use this phrase. Sometimes, it’s comically used with Batman, like “Bahala na si Batman!” which means Batman is in charge of the repercussions of what he’s gonna do.

Anak ng _____!

This is another slang to use when you want to express annoyance or anger. This literally means son of a ______. The most famous one would be Anak ng Teteng! where Teteng is a Filipino name. This phrase is very flexible as you can add any word to it. You can use tokwa (tofu), tinapa (fish), etc. It’s like the English expression “Son of a gun!”.

Huwag ka nga!

This slang is a bit on the modern side. It just surfaced around 2000’s and young adults are the ones who usually use it. “Huwag ka nga!” roughly translates to “don’t mind my business!”. You can use it in situations where your friends are trying to persuade you about something or when they’re contradicting you.

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